Engagement of BLOs in census exercise may hinder routine election works

Concerns have been raised in parts of Tripura's Gomati district over the engagement of Booth Level Officers (BLOs) and science teachers for the first phase of the Census exercise. According to teachers and parents, the move could adversely affect both routine election-related work and classroom teaching.

The first phase of the Census of India 2027, comprising house listing operations, is scheduled to be conducted from August 1 to August 31. As part of the exercise, preparatory work has begun in Matabari, Kakraban, Killa and Udaipur Municipal Council.

Training programmes for personnel engaged in the census exercise have also commenced in three blocks and the Udaipur Municipal Council under Udaipur subdivision.

However, selection of officials for the exercise raised eyebrows as several of those assigned to census duties were already serving as BLOs for election-related work. The move appeared to have over-burdened the teachers who have to conduct regular classes in the school hours besides performing these additional duties.  

Concerns have also been expressed over the deployment of a large number of teachers from certain schools, including science teachers, for the month-long census exercise.

Parents fear that the absence of multiple teachers from the same schools during the census period could disrupt academic activities and lead to a shortage of teaching staff.

Sources said engagement of teachers was not done in an uniform manner which is how regular classes in selected schools might get adversely impacted while in other schools the exercise would have no major impact. The parents in particular have expressed their concerns over the assignments of teachers disproportionately from selected schools.  

The move assigning BLOs to census work is also being called into question.  Apprehensions are being expressed by certain quarters that routine election-related works undertaken during the same period could create administrative difficulties due to overlapping responsibilities.